Silverstone: Sumo Power GT race report

In an incredible turn of events, Sumo Power GT drivers Warren Hughes and
Jamie Campbell-Walter emerged winners of this weekend's round two
of the FIA GT1 World Championship at Silverstone. Driving Nissan GT-R
number 22 they secured the first ever...

In an incredible turn of events, Sumo Power GT drivers Warren Hughes and
Jamie Campbell-Walter emerged winners of this weekend's round two
of the FIA GT1 World Championship at Silverstone. Driving Nissan GT-R
number 22 they secured the first ever win for the team in only its second
event.

Although finishing third on the track, the two Aston Martins which
finished ahead of the Nissan were subject to penalties applied after the
race and therefore Hughes and Campbell-Walter were declared the winners.
The victory was made even more gratifying as drivers were competing for
the coveted Tourist Trophy, an award which was first presented in 1905
and is therefore reputed to be the longest standing prize in the history
of motorsport,

Michael Krumm, driving in the team's other Nissan GT-R was not so
fortunate, when suspension damage was sustained after being hit during an
overtaking manoeuvre, forcing him out of the race on lap 11. This meant
that team-mate Peter Dumbreck did not get an opportunity to drive in the
race.

Having achieved its goal of qualifying in the top eight places - and then
go on to finish with both of its cars in the top-ten in Saturday's
race-one, Hughes/Campbell-Walter and Krumm/Dumbreck lined up on the grid
in fifth and seventh places respectively for Sunday's main
Championship race. And, after such a strong performance, hopes were high
to finish with at least one car in the top eight and thereby score the
team's first championship points.

After the rolling start and a charge to the first corner, Hughes - who
was first to drive car 22 - maintained his position, whilst Krumm in car
23 was pushed wide onto the grass and consequently dropped back into
ninth place. Then, as cars started the second lap, Hughes saw an
opportunity and went past the Lamborghini of Jos Menten at Stowe to claim
fourth.

However, a lap later the Safety Car was deployed when a Corvette caught
fire. Once extinguished, racing resumed and positions amongst the top ten
were maintained until Krumm made a move on the slower Maserati of Andrea
Bertolini ahead of him.

Having pulled out to pass, the Nissan driver suddenly felt his car struck
from the side when the Corvette of Oliver Gavin tried to pass him and the
Maserati at the same time. The impact was enough to break the
Nissan's front suspension and send it into a gravel trap at the
next bend.

On lap 11 Hughes came into the pits for the compulsory driver-change and
a fresh set of tyres, following which Campbell-Walter rejoined the race
in fifth. Once the tyres were bedded in he began to close on the cars
ahead, firstly passing the Maserati of Enrique Bernoldi on lap 19 and
then superbly out-braking Frank Kechele in a Lamborghini going into Copse
at the start of lap 24.

Campbell-Walter then held onto third for a further four laps and crossed
the finish line behind the Aston Martins Darren Turner/Tomas Enge in
first and Fredrick Makowiecki/Thomas Accary in second.

However, after the podium celebrations had taken place it was announced
that the second-placed Aston Martin was given a 15-second penalty for not
coming into the pits early enough to serve a drive-though penalty. Then a
few minutes later, it was revealed that at post-event scrutineering the
under-floor plank on the winner's car was found to less than the
legal thickness and therefore, Turner/Enge were excluded from the
results.

With Hughes and Campbell-Walter third, the allocation of these two
penalties catapulted them into first place, providing the drivers, the
team and Nissan with its first victory in the FIA GT1 World Championship.
However, Turner and Enge's Young Driver AMR team have since
appealed the decision and therefore, although Sumo Power GT are
officially declared the winners, the results will remain provisional
until the appeal has been heard.

Team Quotes

Warren Hughes - Driver car 22
"Of course I would have preferred to be first across the line on
the track, but it's always good to take a win. I have to admit that
I was delighted with third, so this result is amazing. And, to score our
first victory at our home event and to win the Tourist Trophy as well
really ticks all the boxes. It shows the incredible effort that been made
by everyone involved in the team and at NISMO."

Jamie Campbell-Walter - Driver car 22
"For a British driver it's a massive honour to win the
Tourist Trophy and, to take the first FIA GT1 World Championship win for
Sumo Power GT and the Nissan GT-R is just fantastic. However, I have to
express my condolences to Darren and Tomas as they did a great job and it
can't be nice to be told you've won and then have it taken
away. However, this is a superb result for us and I still can't
quite believe it."

Peter Dumbreck - Driver car 23
"What can I say? It was disappointing for me not to be able to
drive, but it's been a great day for the team. I have to
congratulate Warren, Jamie and everyone involved."

Michael Krumm - Driver car 23
"The car was really quick today and, although I was pushed off the
track, after the safety car laps I felt I could really push and make up
places. Unfortunately my charge didn't last long, so I'm
pleased that although Peter and I didn't finish the team still
achieved a great result."

Allen Orchard - Team Manager
"This is such an amazing outcome it still hasn't sunk in yet.
To have achieved a win in only our second ever event is more than we
could have hoped for, especially at our home track and as the race was
for the Tourist Trophy. The whole team has done a great job to get to
where we have today in such a short space of time."